Endurance

Yesterday I attended my first run. We volunteered for the Orphan Mud Run in Ada as a benefitting family. Some sweet families who have also adopted before put the event together as a blessing to families who are fundraising. We had little to do with the preparations for this event which was wonderful!
We have been working really hard this past month planning and coordinating fundraisers so just get to show up and help was wonderful. My job was really simple. I was to stand in front of the last of 11 obstacles on a 5K muddy trail and instruct the runners what do to. There was a steep incline right before they reached me and were ending the race on the other side of a large puddle. I found myself getting teary eyed many times as faces flushed with exhaustion and caked with mud topped the hill and finished their race.
I have never seen the point of these runs or races. They require a lot of commitment, work and training. Frankly, they're just unappealing to someone who is over weight, lazy and generally unathletic. I have never excelled at these sort of things and so I think sometime in high school I gave up at all athletic endeavors. But as I stood and welcomed runners to the end of their race I think I understood more of the appeal. It was a hard run with lots of hills and those who crossed the line last you could tell there was struggle involved to make their bodies keep going. I can relate. Sometimes its hard to want to keep going. To finish. But the end result the accomplishment is worth the sacrifices.
With the increased financial responsibility of adopting two babies instead of one four months apart I must admit that I feel overwhelmed. The lack of plan makes me uncomfortable. We have no choice but to trust God's provision. There is no logical way our family can come up with the funds for the second adoption. No way. We will spend $10,000 less on these two babies then Chris makes in an entire year. It doesn't add up. I have worked as hard as I can at these fundraisers the last several weeks and we've done well. Great actually. But Bennett's arrival will cause all of these activities to cease and a new baby will take over my days until our third Gordon makes their appearance. But I want to finish this journey were on with faith in my eyes. I want to trust without question God's provision and plan for our family. This doesn't surprise Him. He sees the end result. I have to trust.
In the end the money is secondary to all in our lives that is to come. I hate that its even part of this process, but its evident that my trust in God's provision is a part of the lessons adoptions #2 and #3 hold. I am choosing to endure with cheerfulness as we continue down this road. My adoption verse comes back in to play once again, but with a different meaning. "To Him who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all we ask, think or imagine. To Him be the honor and glory forever and ever. Amen" Eph. 3.20
Thank you to all of you who have given, participated, helped, prayed and encouraged us to this point. It truly takes a village to raise children and in our case to bring them home. Thank you seems insufficient to the gratitude my heart holds for our tribe. I'm partial to those who make it up, but I think it's the best one around.